Knight
by CastleSam
Summary: Castle is ready, so is Kate. Something horrible happens. Bad summary, but if you read, I promise, you'll be pleasantly surprised. At chapter 5, i was hit with huge writer's block, so i am sorry i wrapped it up so quickly:
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Richard Castle sat alone in one of his favorite diners. His face was contorted with worry and anxiety, his palms so sweaty he could almost see puddles forming around where he had place them on the table. He had made sure to dress his best and even had Alexis comb his hair for him this morning. She had told him not to worry, everything would be fine. She was right; he knew she was, that girl was always right. It shocked him that he could have created such a beautiful human being.

"_Shit, he's here." _Castle thought as his guest walked through the doors of the surprisingly empty diner.

Castle raised his hand letting the man know where he was and then stood to greet him with a grin that reached from ear to ear.

"It really is a pleasure to have lunch with you sir." He told him as the man shook his hand.

"_What a firm hand shake he has? I really am in for it. I hope I know what I got myself into." _Castle thought as he tried his hardest not to sound nervous in anyway.

"I have told you before Rick, to I will always be known as Jim. Unless you have plans to change that?" Jim Beckett said with that knowing tone he used when he had seen right through all your defenses.

Things had been speeding along with Kate over the past couple of months. It had been nearly a year since they had left the Hamptons together after a two week hiatus from the city. They had taken it slow for a little while so that everyone at the precinct could get used to them being a couple. Nobody had had any reservations as to them being a couple, so after about a month back, they began to get serious. She moved into his apartment on the 24th of December and ever since, she has been the happiest anyone could remember seeing her. Castle was the main reason for her happiness. Since she had given into her feelings, she had realized that the love she had for him was actually a lot stronger than anyone could have guessed. Knowing that Kate was this happy sent Rick into a writing frenzy and he was able to push out two more Nikki Heat novels since she had moved in. He decided that it was about time he made his move to have Katherine Beckett attached to him forever. So, that is why he had decided to meet with one, Jim Beckett. He was going to ask for his permission to marry Kate.

Sensing why he was there, Jim initiated the conversation.

"So, I hear you are making my daughter one happy lady. Every time that she calls I have an impossible time getting her to tell me anything that doesn't include how wonderful you are. I am really happy that she met you Rick, you really are a special man, and a gentlemen if I might add."

"What do you mean Jim?"

"Rick, I know why you met with me today. I looked exactly as you do now when I met with Johanna's father. That man could sense how nervous I was and before I had even asked the question, he had given me his full permission. I have seen, first-hand, how you treat my daughter Rick. I see how no matter what, everything that you do is to make her happy. Knowing that she has found such a special guy makes it that much easier for me to say what I have to say next."

Jim paused for time to collect himself. Tears of joy were streaming down his face as he began to speak again.

"Richard Castle, I give you permission to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage."

Castle didn't know what to say. He smiled as he joined his future father-in-law with tears of joy. They both stood up at the same time and embraced each other in giant bear hugs. Castle was the happiest he had ever been. He hadn't even said nigh a word and Kate Beckett was his. The two sat down and ordered their meals.

"Jim, I have to tell you; you have the most amazing daughter a man could ask for. She is the first woman I have ever met that makes me feel alive while she scolds me. Her beautiful, fierce, green eyes pierce deep into my soul and nobody has ever been able to do that before. I love how she does her job; she is so good at it. She actually cares about the families of the victims, which is saying a lot because most cops just ignore the loved ones of the dead. I love everything about her, Jim. I can honestly say with all my heart, that Katherine Beckett is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. My ex-wives didn't even get the satisfaction of me thinking that about them. I knew they wouldn't last, but Kate, she really is different, in every spectacular way."

Jim looked into Castle's eyes when he had finished, just as his daughter did. What he saw made him smile, and he knew that Castle was telling the truth.

"Rick, be good to her. Make her wedding day as special as possible. She has been through so much and now she has a man who is willing to stop the world for her. She's needed you in her life for the longest time; her knight in shining armor, and you finally came."

Jim and Rick just smiled at each other as they finished their meals. At the end, Castle paid for both meals, and as they were walking out, he showed Jim the ring he had picked out.

"Rick, she is going to love that. It is plain, but it shows all the love that you have for her perfectly. She never has been one for the bells and whistles. You know her perfectly."

"Thanks, Dad." Rick said. Those words felt odd, it was the first time in his life they were directed at an actual father figure.

"Your welcome, son." Jim said, and smiling, the both left the diner.

Rick needed to hurry home, he needed to be there before Kate got home. He was finally ready to make the request that would change his life forever.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Damn she hated days like this. Kate, Esposito, and Ryan had just gotten a confession out of an old man who had hung his ex-wife from the ceiling and took some batting practice on her. The crime scene was probably the most gruesome she had ever seen and she was glad Rick hadn't been there to see it.

"_That crime scene would have given Rick too many ideas. Last think I need is to find another crime scene like that with Gina hanging from the ceiling."_

The thought of that made Kate smile a bit. She knew how much he despised that woman even though he had married her. Rick did a lot of stupid things, but unlike other men, he made up for every stupid thing he did.

The case wasn't long; it had only taken the course of a day to solve since the old man had been there when they arrived. He had called the police but insisted he had just found her and didn't know who she was. How could he think they were that stupid? He had been right about the first detectives who got the case. They thought it was a weird one that would take awhile and knowing the Beckett liked the weird ones, they sent it her way.

"_What jackasses! If they would have just taken two seconds to actually look at the case, they would have caught the killer instantly. No! Instead, 'This looks weird, let's give it to Beckett'. What a waste of my GOD DAMN time." _

She was livid. She was just ready to go home and see what Castle had been up to with her dad this morning. She had no idea what sort of surprise that Rick had waiting for her when she returned home.

As soon as he had gotten home, he began the set up. He had stopped at the florist on his way home to pick up two dozen roses and two bags full of rose petals. He picked out a pair of candles at the corner store as he continued to his building. They were cherry scented, he had picked them mainly for his own benefit. They reminded him of Kate. He loved how she smelled. It was just what he needed in the mornings to get him out of the, 'I just woke up', funk. When he would be in the midst of a trying case with her, all he needed to do was catch a whiff of the lovely cherry scent and his spirits would be spent soaring. He loved it so much; he loved her so much.

When he got home he started cooking immediately. He made two New York Strips, cooked to perfection, and added his signature mashed potatoes. He also had prepared a salad with the works, just as Kate liked it. He laid out all of their favorite dressings and toppings and also put his most expensive bottle of wine on ice in a bowl on the table. As soon as he finished cooking, he took the 24 roses and placed them in a vase on the table and sprinkled the rose petals on the table and then took the rest and made a trail from the table to the door of his loft. Next he set the lit candles down on the table and sat down.

"_I hope she likes all this. I really love her, but why am I so nervous. I never get nervous."_ He thought, then his signature grin spread across his face. True, he never gets nervous, but then, a girl like Kate would ever come around once. She was special. Rick could see himself growing old with her, that's more than he could say about his ex-wives. The more he looked back on his time with them, he realized that they were just women he had married as convenience. Meredith, because she was Alexis' mother. And Gina…

"_Oh, why the hell did I every marry Gina?"_

He chuckled; he knew Gina would never work out. It just seemed right at the time. He was glad he hadn't decided to take Kate into a hot air balloon to propose. That was a horrible idea when he did it with Gina. That should have been a sign, but alas, the prolific Richard Castle had been naïve.

Rick's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his new ringtone. "The Boys are Back in Town" by Thin Lizzy was the ringtone he used for Esposito and Ryan, it seemed fitting for the three of them. They were 'the boys'.

"Castle." He answered with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"Hey man, she just left and she didn't look happy. Don't let us down man, make her the happiest woman on the face of the planet. She deserves it." Esposito had the most serious tone he had ever used with Castle.

"I plan on it. And Esposito, thanks for everything. You really are a great partner." He said in the most sincere manner.

"Thanks Castle, you aren't that bad of a partner either. Now go get her!"

Castle grinned from ear to ear as he hung up the phone. Not only had Beckett been the best thing that had ever happened to him, she had introduced him to the two men who he actually felt were like brothers. He was so happy to have Ryan and Esposito in his life, he had even made sure to take them out every few weeks just to show his gratitude to them for letting him in. He really was one of their partners now, and he loved it.

Kate had finally reached the door to their apartment and was so ready for one of Castle's wonderful, home cooked meals. When she opened the door, her breath was taken away.

Rick was standing just a short way into the apartment and the lights were dim. She could see the candlelit table with their food awaiting them on the table. She looked down and saw the rose petal trail leading to the table and then the beautiful roses he had placed on the table. She really was in awe. She started to cry when she noticed Rick had moved closer to her.

"Katherine Beckett, you truly are extraordinary. You have moved me in so many ways. I came into your life the million dollar playboy and you really have changed me. I knew I needed a new character, but my shadowing you had nothing to do with Nikki Heat. It was always about you. I knew you were different, you could toy with me just as I would with you. I could make you smile when it seemed like the world was crashing down. Yes, I made mistakes, I dug into things that I shouldn't have. However, everything I did was for you, none of it was ever for research. I won't lie and say that it didn't help my book, but none of it was ever intended. I knew as soon as I met you, that in order for me to actually have a shot at you I would need to clean up my act, and that is what I have done. I love everything about you Kate. I love the way you walk and talk. I love the smell of cherries that radiates from all around you. I love the way your brow furrows when you think, and I love the smile that comes across your face when you are truly happy. I love how the hair falls down onto you face and how when in times of great flattery and joy, you reach up and twirl your finger around said hair. I love all of you Kate, your failures and your victories, your perfections and your flaws, but most of all Kate. I love you. Knowing all of that Kate…"

He paused and sank onto a knee as tears streamed down Kate's face and that smile he had spoke of exploded onto her face.

"Will you marry me?"

Kate didn't say a word, she didn't have to. Rick saw it in her eyes and in the little nod that she gave. She slowly put her hand out to him and he slide the eloquently simple ring onto her hand. It fit her perfectly, in more ways than one. She beamed at him as he jumped up from his knee and she soon found herself in his full embrace. They shared a passionate kiss, a kiss of the kind that neither of them had ever experienced. It was a kiss with true love behind it, the most intimate kiss either had ever shared. She slowly pulled away from him, speechless and breathless.

"Now that you are mine, how about we have some dinner? I have a feeling you will like what I prepared for you."

"Rick, there is no way in hell you could make me happier than I am right now, and you won't have to. I don't think it is physically possible for me to be anymore happy. I love you Rick, with all my heart."

"I love you too Kate."

They smiled and made their way over to the table so that they could enjoy the rest of their wonderful night together.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sarah Preston was a truly beautiful woman. She was highly educated and extremely independent. She had graduated with a Doctorate in Business Management by the age of 21 and was on her way to being one of the high rollers of New York City.

As she slowly strolled towards her apartment building on her way back from a fun night on the town with some girlfriends, something felt off. She looked around at all the people around her and feeling as though she was being closely watched, she broke into a slight jog towards her building. She hastily opened the door and slowed herself down as she made her way up the four flights of stairs to her room.

"_That door is pass-key controlled Sarah. Calm down, you are safe now."_

She knew in her head that she was okay now, but something else in her was screaming at her to call the police. She heard quiet, rasping breath's from down the stairs. Then she heard someone making their way up the stairs very slowly. Sarah couldn't take it any longer, she broke into a run up the steps as she whipped out her cell phone. She started to dial but then someone had grabbed her legs, causing her so slam down face first into the stairs. She slowly turned her head; just as her eyes met her attackers, they hit her in the forehead with the handle of a Colt-45. She was out cold.

"_Whe…. Where am I?"_ Sarah thought as she shook the blurriness out of her eyes. She looked up and saw a figure standing over in the corner of the room. They had a knife in one hand and a lighter in the other. They held the knife just above the flame of the lighter, attempting to make the end of the knife glow hot.

"Don't worry, you won't know what this is for." Her captor said. Sarah couldn't tell if it was a man or woman by the way their voice sounded. It was too muffled by the mask they wore over their face.

"Why the hell am I here?" Sarah yelled forcefully.

Her captor just laughed.

"How about you shut the hell up? You have nothing to do with my overall plan, you just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But, I thought you might want to know, you will never see your family or friends again. I hope you had a good life Sarah… Because now, it is over!"

With that, Sarah Preston screamed. It was a bloodcurdling scream, but no matter how loud she yelled, no one would hear. She had made sure of that.

The masked woman now made her way over to Sarah and with one swift uppercut under the chin, she shoved the knife up into Sarah's brain.

"Well, now comes the fun part." The woman cackled as she heated the tip of the knife. He was going to pay.

Kate was comfortably snuggled into her fiancé' s arms. They had made love like never before and fell asleep in each other's arms. This was the part Kate loved most. She loved the way his muscle's felt on her bare skin, the way his warm breath felt on her head. She loved feeling the beating of his heart as her head rested on his chest. She really did love everything about Richard Castle.

"_Kate Castle. Hmmm… I like the ring to that. I have to be the luckiest woman on the planet. Not only has Richard Castle fallen for me, he is actually settling down with me. Who would have ever thought that the million dollar playboy everyone had known and loved, was actually a hopeless romantic. He changed everything for me, and even though I never asked him to, I love him for it. If he had continued with his ways I would never have given him a chance. He really is a special man, and he is mine."_

She continued to let her mind wander along these same lines all night long. That is, until her cell phone went off on the night stand. This was the part she hated the most; getting a call at an ungodly hour, and having to leave the security of her man's arms. Fortunately, Rick understood, and he always woke with her.

"Duty calls babe." He mumbled as he kissed her forehead.

"I know… Beckett." She really did not want to be on the phone right now.

"Hey Beckett, we have a body." Esposito sounded weary of talking to her. He knew what had happened last night with Rick. Hell, he had helped Rick make sure Kate went home last night. He felt bad for interrupting their night.

Beckett scribbled down the address to the building the body was in and hung up.

"Well, I guess we better go." She said with noticeable agitation in her voice.

Rick shot out of the bed and went to turn the shower water on. They hopped in together and washed each other off. It was a ritual after sex; neither knew why they did it. That was a lie and both of them knew it. Rick loved the way her skin felt and loved how she smelled of cherries even after a night of sweating. Kate just loved to have Rick with her no matter what she was doing and rubbing his defined muscles while having him there was a plus every time.

The finished the shower and quickly got dressed. As soon as Castle had finished, he went to make some coffee and was joined soon after by Kate. They put the coffee in to to-go cups and headed to the crime scene.

Upon arrival, they met with Esposito and Ryan while Lanie was in examining the body.

"So?" Esposito and Ryan said together.

Kate blushed and held out her left hand. The ring shined brilliantly in the early morning light. She loved every part of it.

"Feed the birds!" yelled Ryan as he and Esposito finished the gesture.

"How was everything Castle?" Ryan asked as they all walked back into the building.

"Everything was perfect, and by the rosy read color of Kate's face, we can all see she agrees with me." Castle quipped as Kate playfully slapped his arm.

Castle's smile quickly disappeared from his face as he had walked through the door to where the body was. It was hanging from the ceiling by the girl's wrists. She was naked and she faced out of the window so that her back was to the door. In the girl's back Castle could see words etched.

They read…

_You're _

_Mine_

_Castle_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He was shaking forcibly. Kate was really worried about him. She had never seen him this way at a crime scene. Well, there was the one time when the vic had been a teenage girl. He had locked Alexis in their loft until the killer was found. Kate put her hand on his shoulder and then wrapped her arms around him to settle his nerves a little. To Kate's pleasure, it worked, somewhat.

"Ryan, Esposito, I need you guys to find out all you can about the vic. I want her name, her address, any friends she may have been with the night of her death, you know the rest. I need it on my desk A.S.A.P." She calmly told the boys as they watched Castle worryingly.

"Rick, we will find whoever did this. Don't you worry, okay?" She sounded a little weary.

He just smiled awkwardly and nodded his head. He had no idea who would do something like this. What did they mean by, 'You're Mine Castle'? Yes, he had received some pretty crazy fan mail, but nothing ever to this extreme. Most of his fans accepted the fact that he was in a happy relationship and that all of them were out of his league. There was that one lady however, who had managed to sneak into his old loft and steal some of his underwear, but she was put in jail for 10 years after that. A little harsh, yes, but it was so necessary.

"Kate, I really don't think that you gathering all the information on this girl will help. I think, since this was directed at me, that the killer just picked a random person for their perverted display of desire." He said gravely.

She had feared he would think that, and in all honesty, she thought the same thing. She at least needed the vic's name so she could call the family. It was a shame when someone died just because another human being wanted to make a statement. This woman had done nothing wrong; she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now Kate had to deal with the aftermath. She had to call the family and let them know their young daughter had been murdered and that it was a senseless act. It was the worst sort of murder. A pointless murder. She knew, however, that no matter the toll it took on her, that Rick would be there to make it better later, just like she was going to do for him when they were alone.

Making sure she got all she could out of Lanie about how the woman was killed, she quickly grabbed Rick by the hand and lead him away from the scene. Once back in the car she kept glancing at him, trying to determine what sort of mood he was in.

"You do know you could sit this one out babe." She stated tentatively.

"I know, but this killer is after me. The last thing I want to do is be at home where they could get to my family just because I am there. Anyway, my being here might lead our killer into making a mistake. Maybe they will show their hand before they are really ready, and mess all of it up."

Kate knew he was trying to make himself feel better, and part of what he said was right. The killer might make a mistake knowing he was with the police all the time, but Kate couldn't shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.

After a few more glances, they fell silent. As they pulled into the parking garage at the precinct, Rick looked over at her.

"Kate, I love you with all my heart. I am really glad that I have you, you have to be the most extraordinary woman I have ever met."

She turned red instantly. He could still make her blush, even after all this time. She looked at him, a big grin on her face.

"I love you too Rick, and you aren't half bad yourself."

He smiled at that, it was the first time since they walked into the crime scene that he had genuinely smiled. It didn't last long however. His phone rang, it was Alexis; Kate could tell by the ringtone.

"Hey sweetie." He said with a hint of happiness in his voice.

"_Dad, somebody is trying to get into the apartment!" _She yelled through the phone. Rick's face dropped.

"Pumpkin, stay calm. I need you to get the camera out of the drawer okay. Then go upstairs until you can see the door clearly but the intruder won't be able to when they breach the door. Take as many pictures as you can before they spot you and then run and hide the camera in our favorite hiding spot. They are going to take you sweetie, but be brave. Daddy is coming to save you. I love you. I love you." His voice was calm but Kate could see he was going to break down any second. She was stunned; for the first time in all her years as a detective, Kate Beckett did not know what to do. She loved Alexis. Kate knew she was going to cry any minute.

"Okay dad, I will. I will be as brave as I can be. Find me. I love you dad, you too mom." She said addressing Kate for the first time as her mother.

The phone went dead.

Kate looked at Rick. She was touched that Alexis had called her mom, happy, but , she started to cry as she looked at his face. As soon as a tear fell down Kate's face, Rick Castle broke. For only the second time in his life, Richard Castle broke, and rushed out of the car. Kate got out with him and they met each other in front of the car. They embraced each other, crying. Kate finally broke away and called the boys.

"Ryan." His voice was calm.

"Ryan, get someone over to Castle's place immediately!" She yelled.

"Okay, is something wrong?" He asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

"They killer has Alexis." The phone line cut as Ryan hurried out of the precinct to make his way over to Castle's loft. Esposito knew something was wrong, so he hurried after his partner, not knowing what to expect.

Richard Castle and Kate Beckett. Both of them now faced the toughest part of being a parent. Losing a child, if only for a bit, because they both knew. Whoever did this, was going to pay and Alexis was going to come home alive.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Castle walked gravely into his loft. Nobody knew about his hiding spot. He slowly ascended the stairs and made his way down the hall. Once in Alexis' room, he went to her closet. Inside he found the nearly invisible crack in the wall. He pushed it. The piece of the wall around the crack retracted and inside the cavity left by the disappearing crack, was a camera. He made his way back to his living room and gave the camera to Kate and the boys. The thanked him and Kate escorted Ryan and Esposito out of the loft. When she came back, she found Castle quietly crying on his couch.

"Hey, Rick, sweetie. Everything is going to be okay. We will get the son of a bitch that did this, dead or alive. Alexis will be just fine. Okay Rick?"

"Yeah, it's just, if anything happens, I don't think I could bare it. I have raised her ever since she was little and I am 100% responsible for her. I love her so much Kate. I love you so much." He sobbed gently.

"I love you too Rick. I also love Alexis as if she was my own child. I will not let something happen to a person I love again Rick. We will get her back; alive." She sounded stern and fierce.

Rick looked up to see determination in her eyes. He reached over and pulled her into his embrace.

"I know we will Kate. I trust you with my life."

She looked at him affectionately and then leaned in and gave him a light kiss.

"I need to go to the precinct to see if we got anything. I will be back in a little bit but you need to stay here okay Rick?"

He knew she would make him proud so he quietly agreed giving her one more kiss in parting.

Kate could tell there was something wrong with the way the loft felt as soon as she had walked into it. It felt as though there was someone there watching everything unfold. She thought she had even caught glimpses of a shadow scurrying away as Kate's eyes made their way around darker parts of some rooms. She just didn't feel right so she had mentioned it to Ryan and Esposito as she led them out of the loft.

"Hey guys, I want you to stay right outside the door and have Captain post a sniper team in the building across the street from the window's in Rick's living room. I have a feeling that our kidnapper/killer is still in the loft. I will let Rick know that we are going to use him as bait for our killer and then if our sniper's get a shot, I want them to take it." She said in a hushed tone so she didn't tip off the perp.

The guys just nodded and got right on what their boss had told them to do. She sauntered back into the room and as she was bidding Castle goodbye for now she leaned in closely so only they could hear each other.

"Hey babe, I wanted to tell you that the kidnapper is still here. I have seen some shadows move and I think I may have even seen her standing in the shadows watching us. She has no idea that we know she is still here."

"Ah, so I guess we will be getting our son of a bitch sooner than we thought. Oh, and Kate, as you were leaning into me, I noticed that the drawer under the sink was open slightly. I didn't go look but I can see some red hair pouring out of it. I have a feeling our killer knew we would pick up on this. I want you to leave and use me as bait, okay hun?"

"Those were my thoughts exactly Rick. I have a sniper team posted in the building across the street. As soon as she makes her move, she will be down."

"That is so hot. You can order sniper teams. I feel like I have underestimated you all this time. Can you be a spy too? I know you aren't really the sniper but I think a sexy spy named Kate Castle is what I will need after all this."

"Hmmmm… We'll see Rick. I think I can pull off a pretty good Russian spy when I am in the right mood."

She caught his mischievous smile and turned to leave.

"I love you Kate." He sounded more sincere than he ever sounded.

"I love you too Rick." She matched his tone perfectly, meaning every word.

With that she slowly walked out of the room.

Rick sat down on his couch and put his hands on his knees, waiting for his enemy to come out of the shadows. She slowly made her way towards him and Castle put a hand up, signaling to the sniper team that they should wait until he gave another signal.

"So, who exactly are you?" He inquired of his stealthy guest.

"I happen to be Blaine Smithson. I am surprised you do not remember me Rick."

"I have no idea where I ever would have had the misfortune of meeting you. I must have been drunk out of my mind." He sneered.

"No, you were fine, I assure you. It was when we were both freshman in college. It was right before you started writing your first book, I was one of those famous one night stands. Only I had it before you were famous, I cared enough for you that I wanted you even though you were not famous." She said matter-of-factly.

"Wait! I was writing all the time during freshman year, I needed the money from that book to help pay for school and the only time I wasn't writing during that year, I was in class. There was the one time I went to a part but I can assure you I do not remember you." His voice trailed off as his face sunk. He remembered exactly who she was. He had been just finishing off a particularly tough to write section of his book and had needed to get out of his dorm to clear his head. He had gone to a party and sat on the couch when a psychotic bitch had walked over to him gushing about how she loved watching him write. He had found that quite creepy since he didn't have a window in his dorm and always had the door shut. He had tried to walk away but she had said that he should enjoy himself and gave him a drink. He had sipped it, liking the burning feeling in his throat. That was the last thing he remembered. He woke up in someone else's dorm with pictures of him splattered all over their walls. He looked around and saw no one was there so he ran out of the room and made his way to the campus health center. He felt really odd and needed to vomit soon. After throwing up for about 3 hours, the school doctor informed him that he had been given a date-rape drug, and a rather lethal dose of it. He was lucky to still be alive and when he thought back to that night, he had ingrained that bitch's face into his head. He wanted to make sure that if he ever saw her again he would have her arrested, but she had disappeared from the school and now Rick was facing a ghost.

"You BITCH! You drugged me back in college and had sex with me. I hate you! I would have had you arrested and brought up on rape charges but you disappeared like the slimy bitch that you are." He spat the words at her with hate.

"How sweet of you to remember me! I assure you, I would have stayed and made all your dreams come true. I know you wanted to fuck me all night long that night. I allowed you; you know you want to right now." She said seductively.

She made her way across the room towards him and as she went she tightly gripped the knife she had hidden behind her back. Rick Castle was hers, she would find him in hell if she had to but both of them were going down tonight.

"FUCK ME ALL NIGHT LONG YOU LITTLE BITCH OR I KILL YOUR DAUGHTER AND YOUR GIRLFRI…"

Castle saw the knife come around from behind her back as she spoke and with catlike reflexes he pulled out his little surprise at the same moment the door burst open. Two shots rang through the loft and Blaine Smithson fell to the floor now covered with blood.

Castle looked down the barrel of his pistol at her body and said defiantly.

"She is my fiancé."

Kate and Rick were taken into the station so that they could give statements. All charges against the two were being dropped. As soon as Kate heard Blaine yell, she had busted down the door and lifted her gun. Her and Rick fired at the same time, Kate shot Blaine in the back while Rick went for the head. Both shots hit their mark. Since Rick had been in a life threatening situation, the DA decided that Castle and Kate both had the right to protect themselves since they were engaged. Alexis was held in the hospital for a week. She was rather happy when she was let out and her dad had told her that she was to go spend some time with her mother in California. He knew she needed to be away from New York for a little while. He and Kate had some work to do before she got back. They had felt like living in the loft where the psychotic bitch was killed would be too much on all of them, so they opted to move to the suburbs and get a nice, big house, even if Kate insisted they need not get one quite as big.

While sitting alone in his office one night, Rick fingered the little box he held. Yes he had already proposed to Kate, but this gift was special. He had wanted to give it to her at a later date but he thought she should have it now that Alexis had called her 'mom'. He called her on her cell and she told him she would be right home.

Kate opened the door slowly, wondering what her soon to be husband could possible want.

"Hey Rick." She said quietly.

"Hey there love. I hope you had a good day at work. I have something for you."

With that he opened the little box and made his way over to Kate. He pulled the necklace with her mother's ring on it off her neck and turned his back to her. He slowly slipped another keepsake on it for her. When he gave it back she looked down and found that he had place a silver, diamond encrusted heart on the chain. Inside the heart was a beautifully scripted word. It said 'Mom'. She also noticed that he had another gift in his hand. He slid this gift over her wrist and she looked down at it. It was a plain, solid silver bracelet with a message on it.

_To my future wife, always extraordinary, always loving, always my one and only_.

She started to cry and hugged Rick as tightly as she could.

"When I heard Alexis call you mom, I knew it was time to give you that pendant. You always had a reminder of your mom on your neck, now you have one of her and of you. She was a mother, and now are you. Someday you will be able to hand that down to Alexis and it will have so much more meaning to it. It will constantly serve as a reminder of the love your mother had for you and the love that you had for Alexis. The bracelet is just my way of saying how I have and always will, feel about you. Ever since I saw you at my book signing, I have remembered your face and I feel in love with you the moment I saw you. I will always find you extraordinary, and while I have been twice married, you always have been my one and only, they were just horrible pit stops along the road of reality. I love you Kate, and I always will." He was crying now as he smiled down at her and squeezed her tight.

"Rick, these are truly wonderful and I love them so much. But promise me this." She said with a broad grin on her face.

"What is that my love?" He smiled back.

"After our wedding, no more jewelry. I want you to be a little more creative, you are a mystery writer after all." She smiled at him and before he could protest.

"I love you too Rick, now before you say something stupid, just make love to me. You have my heart, and always will."

With that, Rick lifted Kate into his arms and gently kissed her neck as he made his way to their bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and they proceeded to make each other's dreams come true, for the rest of their lives.


End file.
